Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy-Detected Change in Marrow Adiposity Is Strongly Correlated to Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk

Abstract

PurposeTo determine whether marrow fat fraction (FF) is correlated with postmenopausal breast cancer risk and clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer. MethodsFifty-six patients with newly diagnosed and histologically confirmed postmenopausal breast cancer and 56 healthy controls underwent serologic test and magnetic resonance spectroscopy–based FF measurements. Data were analyzed by logistic multivariate regression models to determine the independent predictors of breast cancer risk and clinicopathological characters of breast cancer. ResultsPatients with breast cancer had higher FF than that of the controls. Marrow FF showed positive association with serum leptin levels (r = 0.607, P < .001) in the cases, but no relationship was found in the controls. In the univariate analysis, both levels of leptin and marrow FF were significantly associated with breast cancer risk and clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer. In the multivariable model with adjustment for established breast cancer risk factors, serum leptin was a significant predictor of breast cancer risk (OR 1.746; 95% CI, 1.226-2.556) and clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer including TNM, tumor size, lymph node status, and histological grade (OR 1.461-1.695); but when marrow FF was additionally added to the regression model, marrow FF but not leptin levels was observed to be an independent risk factor for breast cancer risk (OR 1.940; 95% CI, 1.306-2.910) and clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer (OR 1.770-1.903). ConclusionMarrow adiposity is a predictor of postmenopausal breast cancer risk and clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer.